People sometimes think that being a part of a best place to work means that it is party time all the time. That’s not the case. Sure we work hard and play hard, but really what we do is challenge each other to greatness. We know that to be challenged can also be truly rewarding.
It says somewhere in the bible that a ‘good wife’ will debate and challenge her husband so he can see what he cannot see. I think this is the basis of all partnerships or even leadership teams. If we keep playing it safe, living in our comfort zone then how can we ever possibly create something bigger than ourselves?
There are more people in the RedBalloon team than it once was, and I don’t necessarily have the same moment-by-moment contact with each individual that I used to. As a result I rely heavily on the team leaders around me to deliver on the vision, the passion and the commitment to our people.
Having differences of opinion, viewing the world differently, holding the mirror up so we can see how we are really performing is all healthy. When there is fundamental respect for each other, then challenges are seen as growth opportunities.
Why this sudden outburst, to announce that conflict can be constructive? RedBalloon is coming into planning for the next financial year, resources need to be allocated and there are always differences of opinions. As long as the process is respectful of each individuals opinions then even after a ‘full on’ conflict – we can all still come back to a place of alignment and harmony.
Being an employer of choice is challenging, steadfastly committed to keeping everyone aligned – even if it takes lot’s of energy and many different points of view. It does mean never giving up and knowing that near enough is good enough, just to appease someone (or be nice…) it is not fair to the rest of the team to leave a debate unchallenged.
Good Old Fashioned Giggle
I often have a good giggle with audiences, when I'm presenting, about what it was like working ‘last century’. The funny thing is that in just a decade, many of the practices seem completely archaic.. how did we cope? We had telephones that you would dial, and then wait after each number you dialed for the rotary piece to return to base. The sound was distinctive.. dddd, dddd, dddd (very hard to replicate in writing). No speed dial, voice recognition, click to dial, automatic dial or any of the other things that now means that we are connected instantaneously. What patience we had (but it was all we had, we knew no difference, that was the pace of business then.)
When I commenced working for Ansett Airlines, I requested a PC, my boss was curious to know why I needed such a thing (I had worked for IBM in New York – so thought that a PC was a standard business tool of the time). I wanted a PC so I could be self-sufficient typing up the ‘fabulous’ marketing plans, I was going to write. My manager advised me that Ansett had a word processing department – all I had to do, was pick up the phone dial a certain extension, dictate what I wanted, I would then have the typed document returned to my desk in the next day or two, I would make corrections, it would then go back and forth for a few days before it was finally finished and you could send it. It took about 4-5 days to produce a piece of correspondence (even an internal memo). Younger audience members laugh thinking, they can answer an email in seconds, any where anytime on hand held devices.
So it does beg the question what will the world look like in just another 10 years. And how do we ensure we have the right talents and skills to go along with it. I have teenage children and I know that the jobs they are likely to have, have not been invented yet.
Back last century when I was in the final term of my university degree… my father said that he would like me to do a secretarial course… 'just in case things don’t work out in my marketing career. You could always get a job as a secretary’ he said. So I dutifully went off in the term break from Uni to learn to touch type.
Whether my father's reasoning was sound (something to fall back on) or not, learning to touch type at 90 words a minute has been one of my greatest productivity tools over the last 25 years. (so thanks Dad)
So really the more exposure we have to more things, the better equipped we will be to exploit new technologies and ideas. (Can you believe in the year 2000 I said to myself I was too old to learn about the internet… ) we need to keep our minds wide open, and learn as much as we can along the way. The new technologies that we are embracing are not the destination, but are part of the journey... and I for one don't want to miss out on any of the ride.